Apple Music appoints co-presidents as it revamps leadership to challenge Spotify

The pair will report to Apple Vice president Oliver Schusser, marking a dual leadership model that blends external innovation with internal expertise.

The appointment comes at a critical juncture as Apple intensifies competition with Spotify, the dominant player in the music streaming industry. The move is seen as a calculated effort to leverage viral marketing, artificial intelligence, and regional localisation as key pillars of growth.

Ole Obermann joins Apple Music from TikTok, where he served as global head of music business development from 2019 to 2025. During his tenure, Obermann brokered high-profile licensing agreements, most notably the reinstatement of Universal Music Group’s catalogue following a widely publicised dispute in 2024. His background in viral music trends and AI-focused licensing strategies is expected to prove invaluable as Apple Music navigates a rapidly evolving digital landscape where music increasingly intersects with video content and influencer-driven virality.

Rachel Newman, meanwhile, brings 16 years of institutional experience at Apple to the new role. Having started her career as a manager in the iTunes music division for Australia and New Zealand, she later ascended to become head of global content strategy. Newman’s deep understanding of Apple’s editorial curation and ecosystem makes her ideally positioned to maintain the platform’s premium branding while advancing regional and global content strategies.

Apple Music has leaned heavily on high-visibility partnerships in recent years, such as its sponsorship of the Super Bowl Halftime Show, which saw record-breaking viewership in 2025. The company now aims to extend that momentum by tapping into social media virality and influencer culture, elements increasingly central to music discovery and streaming economics.

The leadership restructure coincides with Apple’s broader efforts to navigate complex international trade and policy environments. Recently, Apple resolved a sales blockade in Indonesia, prompted by non-compliance with the country’s Domestic Component Level policy, which mandates that 40% of electronic components be sourced domestically.

To address the issue, Apple pledged a $10 million investment in accessory manufacturing and announced a $100 million initiative to begin assembling AirPods Max components within Indonesia. The move reflects the company’s attempt to balance global supply chain efficiency with increasing regulatory scrutiny across key international markets.

As part of its response, Apple confirmed that its teams in Asia and Europe will now operate at the same reporting level as its U.S. government affairs unit, led by Tim Powderly, reinforcing the company’s commitment to cohesive global governance.

With the dual leadership of Obermann and Newman, Apple Music is poised to merge innovation with institutional continuity as it seeks to close the gap with Spotify and redefine the future of music streaming.